Are the Kids Alright? Young People and Mental Health

Mental illness is often thought of only as an adult concern. But about half of mental illnesses begin to reveal themselves in childhood. What is the state of children’s mental health and how is it different from that of adults?

Children and Mental Health

Almost 15 million American children have some kind of diagnosable mental disorder. (1)

4 million

American children and adolescents with a serious mental disorder (2)

2 in 10

Children 9-17 with any diagnosable mental or addictive disorder that causes at least minimal impairment (2)

1 in 2

Mental disorders that begin by age 14 (2)

In any given year, only 20% of children with mental disorders are identified and treated. (2)

Most common disorders among children 8-15 (percentage in age group with disorder) (3)

ADHD: 8.6%

Mood disorder: 3.7%

Major depression: 2.7%

Conduct disorder: 2.1%

Depression: 1%

Anxiety disorder: 0.7%

Panic disorder: 0.4%

Generalized anxiety disorder: 0.3%

Eating disorder: 0.1%

Ripple Effects

Mental health problems can lead to issues with family and school — and can even lead children to attempt suicide.

Suicide

Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for people age 15-24. Suicide kills more Americans in this age group than these causes combined: cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza and chronic lung disease. (2)

9 in 10

Children and adolescents who commit suicide who have a mental disorder (2)

School problems

1 in 2

Students 14 and older with a mental illness who drop out of high school (2)

Legal trouble

Youths in juvenile detention with at least one mental illness (2)

Boys: 65%

Girls: 75%

Identifying and Treating the Problem

Early identification and adequate treatment can quite literally be the difference between life and death for young people with mental illness.

Signs of mental illness

Signs can vary depending on the disorder and age of the child.

Common signs of mental health trouble, by age group: (4)

Age 4-7, preschool/early elementary years

Bad behavior at preschool or daycare

Hyperactivity outside of what other children are doing

Insomnia

Persistent nightmares

Excessive fear, worrying or crying

Extreme disobedience or aggression

Lots of temper tantrums all the time

Age 7-11, grade school years

Inconsistent friend group

Excessive fear and worrying

Extreme hyperactivity

Sudden drop in school performance

Loss of appetite

Sudden weight changes

Obsession over weight

Sudden change in sleep habits

Visible and prolonged sadness

Visual or auditory hallucinations

Age 11-19, tween and teen years

Other common signs on either list above

Destructive behavior

Repeatedly threatening to run away

Self-harm

Withdrawal from family or friends

Troubling writings or art that suggest desire to harm self or others

Treatment

Though children’s brains are still in a state of development, adequate treatment of mental disorders can help put a young person on a path to a healthy future.